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Search "understand" in: understand
transitive verb1 a: to grasp the meaning of <understand Russian> b: to grasp the reasonableness of <his behavior is hard to understand> c: to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of <understand finance> d: to be thoroughly familiar with the character and propensities of <understands children>2: to accept as a fact or truth or regard as plausible without utter certainty <we understand that he is returning from abroad>3: to interpret in one of a number of possible ways4: to supply in thought as though expressed <“to be married” is commonly understood after the word engaged>intransitive verb1: to have understanding : have the power of comprehension2: to achieve a grasp of the nature, significance, or explanation of something3: to believe or infer something to be the case4: to show a sympathetic or tolerant attitude toward something
— un·der·stand·abil·i·ty
\-ˌstan-də-ˈbi-lə-tē\
noun
— un·der·stand·able
\-ˈstan-də-bəl\
adjective synonyms understand
, comprehend
, appreciate mean to have a clear or complete idea of. understand and comprehend are very often interchangeable. understand may, however, stress the fact of having attained a firm mental grasp of something <orders that were fully understood and promptly obeyed>. comprehend may stress the process of coming to grips with something intellectually <I have trouble comprehending your reasons for doing this>. appreciate implies a just evaluation or judgment of a thing's value or nature <failed to appreciate the risks involved>.
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